KZN police Warrant Officer has been arrested for allegedly helping detainees to escape from holding cells.
Image: FILE
A KwaZulu-Natal detective warrant officer has been arrested after allegedly helping three suspects escape from police custody at KwaMsane police station and accepting a bribe in exchange for his assistance.
The officer was arrested by the Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit on Friday, 29 May 2026, following an investigation into the escape of three detainees from the station's holding cells on 27 February 2024.
According to police, the suspects managed to escape after cutting through steel burglar bars and an iron roof sheet.
Investigators allege the escape was orchestrated by the warrant officer, who allegedly supplied the detainees with a steel saw used to facilitate the breakout. Police further claim the suspects paid the officer R5,000 for his assistance.
One of the escapees, Sibusiso Gumede, was rearrested approximately a month later during a roadblock operation in Vryheid.
Following the investigation, a warrant of arrest was issued and the officer was taken into custody.
“Police investigations revealed the escape was orchestrated by a detective warrant officer who supplied them with a steel saw, allegedly after they paid him an amount of R5 000. A warrant of arrest was issued by the court and the police officer was duly arrested,” KwaZulu-Natal police said.
The officer is expected to appear in the KwaMsane Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and will, face charges of aiding and abetting suspects to escape from lawful custody, defeating the ends of justice, and corruption.
The arrest comes amid ongoing concerns over escapes from detention facilities across South Africa.
DAILY NEWS